Strictly Come Dancing 2018 contestants: the full celebrity line-up

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Investigative reporter Stacey Dooley and former Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts are among the celebrities set to compete for the coveted glitterball trophy in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.

The pair are the eighth and ninth stars to be revealed in the line-up for Series 16, which will kick off next month with a spectacular launch show.

With a job that has taken her to war zones, prisons and sex trafficking hotspots, Dooley says she can’t wait to throw herself into the very different world of Strictly.

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“Typically, work for me is very serious and can be quite hard-core so I’m going to soak up the escapism and bathe in the sequins,” she said.

US singer Ashley Roberts is also confirmed for this year’s competition. Before conquering the charts as a girl band, The Pussycat Dolls started life as a burlesque dance troupe, so Roberts is no stranger to strutting her stuff on stage.

But she told BBC Radio 2’s Chris Evans that the show’s Latin and ballroom styles were “foreign” to her.

Other celebrity contestants revealed so far include former Steps singer Faye Tozer, Red Dwarf actor Danny John-Jules and YouTube star Joe Sugg.

Click the gallery above to see all the celebrity contestants revealed so far...

On Sunday, TV presenter Katie Piper - who says she has no dance training - became the first star revealed as a contestant in the forthcoming series.

Stars added to the line-up since then include former Steps singer Faye Tozer, Red Dwarf actor Danny John-Jules and YouTube star Joe Suggs.

Click the gallery above to see all the celebrity contestants revealed so far.

The celebrities won’t be the only newcomers this year - three new professional dancers will be joining the Strictly family.

Giovanni Pernice will be joined by a fellow Sicilian pro in the form of dance champion Graziano Di Prima, 24, who says he “can’t wait to give all of myself on the dance floor”.

Fellow newcomer Johannes Radebe, 31, already has valuable Strictly experience - he spent two years as a professional dancer on the South African version of the show, reaching the final both times.

Rounding out the new intake is Luba Mushtuk, stepping into the glittery shoes of departing pro Chloe Hewitt. The 28-year-old Russian is already a familiar face behind the scenes of the show, where she has worked as an assistant choreographer since 2016.